Combination boot and shoe



(No Model.)

R. D. THOMAS. COMBINATION BOOT AND SHOE.

Patented June 1,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

RUDOLPH THOMAS, OF LOOKWOOD, MISSOURI.

COMBINATION BOOT AND SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,828, dated June 1,1897'.

Application filed May 17,1894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH D. THOMAS, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Lockwood, in the county of Dade and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combination Boot andShoe; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to a combina-' tion boot and shoe; and ithas for its prime object to produce an article which will possess allthe ad vantages of a boot and shoe without having any of thedisadvantages of either.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the device that itwill have the resisting qualities of a boot and the comforts of a shoe.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the device as toobviate the objections heretofore experienced of slipping at the heel,there being no side seams to come in contact with the ankle, and theankle will be well supported, so as to strengthen the same.

A further object of the invention is to afford a smoothness from the toeto the heel, which has heretofore been found only in boots.

Other objects and advantages will appear from th e following descriptionand claim when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device with parts insection and parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the vamppartly in longitudinal section, illustrating one of the inner sidelinings or foxing and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken in theplane indicated by the dotted line'w m on Fig. 2.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates the outer sole, B theinner sole, and O the intermediate or filling sole. The sole A may be ofthe ordinary or any approved construction and provided with a suitableheel a.

D indicates the vamp. This vamp is formed from a single piece ofmaterial and is of a peculiar configuration, having its lower edgeadapted to be secured to the sole, as will be presently described, andis crimped lengthwise, as shown atb. This vamp has a straight- SerialNo. 511,530. (No model.)

out portion 0, which extends from the point cl just above the heel tothe point e, or in a plane at the top of the counter. From this point ethe vamp is cut forwardly and upwardlyin a curvilinear manner, as shownat f, and extends in the center of the shoe and well up into the same ina curved manner, as shown at g. This center extension 9 may be of aheight commonly employed in an ordinary shoe, and to the center of thiscenter extension and on the inner side thereof is secured one of thepull-straps E, which is looped in the ordinary manner to receive thefinger of the wearer.

Findicates the quarter. This quarter is also of a peculiar constructionand may be formed from either one or two pieces. When making the quarterof two pieces, I would unite the parts at the rear above the heel in theusual manner. I shall describe the quarter as being made from a singlepiece of stock, as such a description will enable any one skilled in theart to make it in two parts. The quarter has a straight vertical portionh at or about the forward terminus of the heel, which may comprise theforward terminal edge of the counter G. This straight portion extendsfrom the heel to a point 2', and it is thence cut forwardly and upwardlyin a curvilinear manner, as shown at k, terminating in theforwardly-projecting point Z, and from this point the material is cut ina rearwardly and upwardly sloping manner, as shown at m, and thisupwardly-sloping portion is provided at a suitable distance from itsmarginal edge with either eyelets or buttons, as the case may be,eyelets nbeing preferably placed at the lower portion and buttons at theupper portion to receive a lace in the ordinary manner. It will beobserved that the counter has flaps p, which extend forwardly, so as tocover the ankle.

The construction thus far described would leave afront opening in theshoe or boot above the central extension and between the lateral flaps,and this central opening is closed by a thin or soft leather piece II.It will be observed that the quarter may extend as high up the legportion as desirable, so as to present the appearance of a boot, and thesoft leather or closing piece has its lower edge out transversely toconform to the upper curvi- ICO linear edge of the center pieceComprising an extension of the vamp, and these two curved edges of theclosing-piece and the vamp extension are united by stitches with theclosin g-piece on the inner side of the vamp extension. The verticalside edges q of this closing-piece II are sewed on the inner sides ofthe quarter, as indicated by the vertical dotted line '2', therebyclosing the entire front of the shoe. The rear of the shoe is providedwith a pull-loop I.

In constructing the shoe the inner sole B is beveled on its undermarginal edge, as shown at S, and an inner foxing or side lining K isplaced with its lower longitudinal edge against the beveled edge of theinner sole. The vamp is then placed against the inner foxing or sidelining and a welt if placed on the other side of the latter, when thewhole is sewed or otherwise secured together. The inner linings extend asufficient distance up the sides of the vamp and are disposedlongitudinally from the toe to the counter, as better shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. The outer sole may be secured to the welt or otherwiseattached with the interposed filling-sole in position.

By the construction described it will be seen that I have a boot whichmay be as easily placed on the foot as an ordinary shoe and that the legportion is entirely closed around the sides. It will also be seen thatthe upper can be drawn as tightly as desired across the ankle, therebystrengthening the same and preventing the heel from slipping, which hasbeen found so objectionable heretofore.

The leg portion can be made as high as desired, with the seam in theback of the shoe when used for army purposes, and when used as aplow'shoe the back seam can be omitted,

which is very desirable, as there will be no seam at this point to rip.

It should be observed that the flaps p are secured by stitches along thecurvilinear portion 7: to the vamp at a point about the ankle, so thatthe lace can be drawn over the ankle and the shoe secured very tightlyat this point.

Having described my invention, what I claim is A combination boot andshoe essentially comprising an extra length vamp piece formed with anintegral front upwardly-disposed extension g having an upward projectionapproximately equaling the height of an ordinary shoe, said vamp-piecealso having opposite straight on ts 0 near the heel,the quarterextending from the base of the counter the full height of the upper andformed with opposite straight vertical portions registering with thecorresponding portions 0 of the vamp-piece, and with oppositeclosing-flaps having at their front lower corners points secured to andextending well around the vamp-piece at about the ankleline, a softflexible closing-piece H attached at its lower edge to the vampextension 9 and. at its. side edges to the inner sides of saidclosing-flaps, a pull-strap attached to the rear top edge of thequarter, and a separate front pull-strap arranged in front of theclosing-piece H and attached at its lower edge to the central top edgeof the extension 9, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RUDOLPH D; THOMAS.

lVitnesses:

FRANCIS I. ADAMS, J r., BEN LAUGHLIN.

